Bleed
by C.S. Isui
Summary: She was lost to him once, at another time. She was supposed to be his bride, his treasure. But that was all in another time. This time, she won't be lost to him anymore. Uchiha Sasuke, Daitengu of Konoha, will make sure Heaven's Blessing will be his once more.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone!**

 **Today, November 8, 2017, is the official launch of my new story "Bleed."**

 **I hope that you guys will review and favorite this story.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the Manga "Black Bird" to which this story has been loosely based after.**

* * *

 **BLEED: PROLOGUE**

The stark silence that veiled over the great visage of Naka Castle was only disturbed by the laughter of a young boy no younger than eight. The cricket that usually sang in the night were unbelievably silent and the wind that swayed with the branches of the mountain palace was impossibly still. However, the young boy's laughter seemed to be a contrast to the dark and dreary atmosphere that surrounds the place. His mother, a dashingly handsome woman with flowing ebony hair laughed along with him. The duo seemed perdurable to the lack of bustle in the usually busy place. The young boy looked at his mother earnestly as she prepared to leave his bedroom. His hair was like the wings of a raven, his skin paler than snow and his eyes were darker than obsidian. He was a handsome young lad with a secret laughter hiding behind his onyx eyes; a secret laughter his mother can never deny to oblige.

"Will you please tell me another?" he asked as he rolled his blanket away from his body. His mother shook her head.

"Now, now, my darling. You have practice with your father in the morning. Are you sure you want to stay up late?"

"Yes! So will you please tell me another? Just one more, please? Then I'd sleep. I promise!"

His mother sighed as she smiled. Her beautiful, regal face, a face often graced with happiness, smiled but with a tinge of sadness. "Alright, my little raven. Just one more, then off to bed." Tucking down her black hakama, an unusual attire to wear for bed, she sat most elegantly before her beloved son moved over and places his head on her lap. He was dressed in the usual white sleeping clothes he had alway worn, his hair was damp from his previous bath and his eyes eager at his mother's agreement for another bedtime story. She tenderly places her soft hands over his forehead as she hums a lovely lullaby she had composed at his birth. Her fingers, however, were calloused from being a well-renowned archer - a trait that has earned her her title and love. Her youngest child did not care for her calloused fingers, however, but loved them dearly for it was a part of his beloved mother all the same.  
"You're cheating. Mother." the young boy said with a pout. His mother chuckled as she continued to hum his lullaby.  
"How so?" she asked.

"You're making me sleepy."

"Am I? Shall we skip the story then?"

"No! You said, one more then off to bed. You haven't told me one more story."

"Alright, alright. What story would you like?"

"I want that story."

"But you've heard it so many times!"

"I like it."

"Alright then."

The young boy listened intently as his darling mother began her story. He focused on the way her soft eyes and long lashes would look down on him as she animated versed the tale he has heard many times but never lost its luster.  
"The Tengoku no Tenkei is a precious gift, my darling child." she said as she prepared to finish the tale. "It embodies - "

"The Tenkei is a 'she,' mother. Not an 'it.'"

Wide eyes moved to the young boy's face as he played with his fingers. "Really, now? How can you say?" his mother asked.

"I don't know. I can feel it, I guess. You know, like when we know if there will be a storm or snow." the young boy answered in a tone so assertive.

"Alright. Let me correct myself then. She embodies life and death itself and how the cycle goes on and on. The life the Gods and Goddesses have given and the death that comes afterwards. A life fleeting but very beautiful."

"Just like the sakura?"

"Yes, my love. Just like the sakura."

"I like the sakura flowers. They are always so pretty."

"Do you, now?"

"Yes. And someday, I'll take the Tenkei to watch the sakura flowers with me." as he yawned and closed his eyes. His ebony-haired mother looked at him with great affection. She had always assumed him to be a perceptive child who was very precocious, much like his elder brother. However, she did not expect him to talk about something as sacred as the Tenkei in such a very familiar manner. She looked at his bright innocent eyes with wonder and thought. Duties and matters concerning the Tenkei would alway befall to the first-born, the heir and her darling baby's heart would break if he knew. She had figured that her youngest was enthralled by the tale of Heaven's Blessing, so much that he has given it a gender and decided to watch the sakura flowers with it; but she never could tell him that only his brother had the heavenly duty of staking claim - unless of course he abdicated - something duty will never allow.

"Off to bed, my darling." she said as she moved her son to his futon. "I'll see you in the -"

"MOTHER!"

"Itachi, my dearest," she said firmly as she tucked her youngest in his bed. "Can't you see your brother is sleeping?"

"Mother, please. Father said it is important that you come. Reinforcements -"

"Itachi."

"Mother please, it's a matter of -"

"ITACHI! Not now!"

The young boy kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep as he hears his mother and brother argue. He loved his brother dearly. The strapping young man was looked up to as a hero and as a role model for the young boy. Although often times, military duties had taken his beloved brother away, he never failed to make time for fun and games. The Wings of Naka, he was known to be, the successor to their father's title of Daitengu of Mount Naka and loving older brother.

"I'll be with your father shortly."

"Yes mother." Itachi said as he opens the doors for her. His beautiful mother hold his hand as she shakes her head.

"Stay with Sasuke, my darling. Protect him for me."

"But mother, I can't leave you and father alone! I am needed on the frontlines! If we can hold them off, there is no chance that they'll even reach the castle and my little brother would not have to hear or see a peep."

"You always did value his innocence."

"It was something never shown to me,"

"I am so sorry, my love." she said with eyes sad in guilt. "But please do this for me. I'll be back with your father at daybreak."

The young heir nodded as he watched his mother run out of the room. Slowly, he makes his way to his younger brother then lies down. Only the soft flame of the nearby lamp kept the two boys company. The castle returned to its somber silence after the sound of great wings grew fainter and fainter with distance, a sign that their mother has left the comforts of their home.

"I know you're awake."

"No I am not."

"Oh? Then why are you talking back?"

"I am sleep talking."

"I see."

Itachi shook his head as he embraced his little brother's sleeping form. He was so small, so fragile and so innocent. Someone who has yet to see the dirt of the world, someone who has not yet seen the mirth of death, betrayal and lies. Someone, Itachi knew he had to protect. Sasuke should never have to face the politics his family held as one of the most powerful houses in the Land of Fire. _Uchiha_ , one of the two founding houses of the grand capitol of Konohagakure, a name so noble and ancient but believed to have been soiled by the second son of the Senju. Itachi had to stop himself from running outside the doors of his little brother's bedroom door and rush to the front lines. He wanted to speak with the generals allied to the Council in a diplomatic way in order to avoid conflict. He, as his father always said, was a statesman by nature. However, their father was a military man who held on to the words of the great Uchiha Madara who cursed the Senju name in his deathbed. Words and curses that had sparked a flame of rebellion within the ranks of the militaristic and proud Uchiha family. Itachi, of course, opposed his family's decision. The Council of Clans was the highest ruling body of the capitol and therefore, the Land of Fire itself. The Council was created to show equity amongst the members of the Konoha Hyakki Yakō and to show that no yokai was above the other. To oppose such a powerful congregation is to oppose the country and to violate equality. His father courted death when he declared war upon the council after they refused his demands to reinstate the monarchy. Itachi sighed heavily.

"They will be back, right?"

"Talkative in your sleep, Sasuke?"

"I'm worried."

"They'll be back in the morning, foolish otouto. Stop worrying and sleep."

Brave were his words, but when dawn arrived, the ashes and smoke of the battle at the base of the mountain only brought back one thing: their cousin, Obito, who hailed Itachi as the Daitengu.

* * *

Fifteen years. It has been fifteen years since he has last seen his mother. Fifteen years since he has last heard her beautiful voice singing the most beautiful lullaby but in the last five years, he had seen the light at the end of the tunnel. As he contemplated the events that have occurred to him, Uchiha Sasuke stared at the window nearest to his desk, wondering if his arrival was unwarranted. The trees that surrounded Mount Naka were much greener and healthier that they had ever been. The early morning mist that covered the lush greenery seemed more pleasant than dreary as the sun rose in the eastern front of the mountains. The usual flock of ravens that graced that castle gardens and courtyards seemed even more carefree and dull, at least in his opinion. Ravens were the dullest of all creatures because they did nothing to remove the fear of death the humans associate with them. To the humans, they were the harbinger of death and disaster, a painfully accurate assumption since his family, his kind, is one of the most powerful yokai clans known and is believed to be the cruel and unforgiving. However under the mantle of his brother, their image have been transformed into royalty, honor, dignity and authority. He, on the other hand, had left his mountain home to train and travel across the lands and one might say he has exiled himself after he turned his 18th year. His beloved brother supported his decision to leave, of course, knowing that it was his way to cope. Sasuke never truly got over that night when his parent's failed to keep their promise of returning and as next in line to the title of Daitengu, he knew he had to accept life as it is. When he returned, he has proven to have grown into a handsome young man with broad regal shoulders, an aristocratic brow, and fierce eyes. Features that accented his already handsome features. What's more is that in that self-imposed exile, he had developed an aura that held with an air of royalty befitting his family's history and his voice had become so hauntingly handsome and authoritative, it can charm anyone to obedience. The young tengu looked at his desk filled with scrolls and boxes. Five years he has been gone and his brother has yet to know of his arrival and of the news he brought with him.

He looked at the sleeping figure curled in the futon of his room. The figure belonged to a woman with the most endearingly annoying feistiness and spirit. She was the light at the end of his dark tunnel. He remembers the first day he had met her. It was in a bustling crowd in Sunagakure and she was a travelling apothecary. Her frame was small but the heavy load of glass vials, jars and bottles filled with herbs and various potions seemed weightless to her. The weather that day was drier than it usually was in the sandy deserts of the Land of Wind. Its golden sand seemed to conceal the sprawling capital as the dry winds created small sand storms that the locals didn't mind. His initial purpose in coming to this dry and sunny place was to request audience with the Sugureta Tanuki of the Sands before heading off continuing his journey. His brother sent him a raven containing a favor to speak seek an alliance with the royal family of the Land of Wind and he dutifully obliged. He remembers that she was on the gates of the busy market place, looking uninterested and bored, until she calls his name. Sasuke chuckles as he remembers how she called him 'handsome' while not even knowing who he was. She was a human, at least back then he thought so, and it amused him that a human was not able to detect the spiritual energy of a yokai.

His eyes remained glued to her sleeping form. Her absurd pink hair sprayed across the futon and she dreamed without a care in the world. 'She should' Sasuke thinks as he fought the urge to embrace her in her sleep. 'I have sworn to protect her with my life.' He promised her the night she pledged herself to him as his bride. The yokai stood up from his desk and walked over to his betrothed, the urge winning against his self-control. Unfortunately, loud, pounding footsteps ran across the ancient sandalwood floors of the great castle.

"Your Grace! I am so sorry! I tried to stop him but you know how he is! He just barges in!"

Kou, one of their retainers, huffed as he opened the doors of his Master's chambers. The young tengu was followed by several will o' wisps made of small tornadoes and his usually well-kept hakama was in tears and rips. Another set of loud footsteps echoed across the halls and it was followed by the loudest, most obnoxious voice Sasuke ever had the pain to hear.

"Oi! Teme! WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU WRITE TO ME THAT YOU WERE - Who's that?"

The source of the obnoxious voice was a young man, about the same age as Sasuke. He had the bluest eyes that rivaled the clearest, sunniest skies, he had the most vibrant golden blond hair the seemed to have been spun from gold; he had a beautiful golden brown tan that seemed to make his handsome boyish features even more striking; and the marks on his face, the marks of the 9-Tailed Fox, Kurama, completed the whole package. The young man radiated of an aura so bright, and warm, it was like Amaterasu had taken the form of a young man. Although he possesses quarter of a humans blood, Uzumaki Naruto was known as the Sun of the Konoha Hyakki Yakō, Light of the Ayakashi; whereas Sasuke, with his hauntingly beautiful pale complexion, dark raven hair and deep obsidian eyes, he was the Moon of the Konoha Hyakki Yakō, Shadow of the Ayakashi.

"Shut your mouth dobe, or you'll wake her."

The blond looked at his best friend with teasing eyes. He knew Sasuke was not the ladies man kind of guy, unlike a certain sage he knew who had no problems hogging all the women. If Sasuke kept this woman within his reach, within his own chambers and just as soon as he arrived from his 5-year absence, the woman must mean a whole lot. Naruto observed the young woman. She had silky-looking strands of impossibly pink hair that looked like cherry blossoms; she had smooth porcelain skin that looked unmarred by weather and work; she had a built so small and fragile that looked like it didn't have the strength to lift a needle.

"Hey, is she some sort of princess you kidnapped? I never knew that you were the kidnapping type."

"Her parents died in one of the reformatory wars."

"Oh. I'm... Sorry." The blond said as his eyes became downcast. His own parents died in the Reformatory Wars as well and he had taken their place in the Hyakki Yakō. He didn't like dwelling in the past though. That's why he continued to probe about the girl. "But she is a princess, right? She looks like one."

Sasuke gave a sound that sounded like a snort. "Yeah right. No prim and proper princess can be as annoying at this woman."

"So, she's not a princess?"

"No, she isn't, you big idiot! But soon, she'll be more than any human princess wishes to be."

Naruto looks at his friend with soft eyes. Gone was the brooding, melancholic, trigger happy Sasuke that he knew and was replaced by this gentle-mannered, calm and soothing version. He liked the change that happened to his best friend and he was glad that the Uchiha finally found love. He then poked her sleeping form, hoping to see if the girl was real and not some genjutsu formed by his best friend. Suddenly, she stirs.

"...mngh... "

The greenest, brightest, emerald eyes fluttered open, before the girl shoots up and covers herself with the futon's blanket. Her face was red with embarrassment and her eyes wide with surprise. She looked shocked as her betrothed and his best friend looked at her with bewildered eyes.

"Who the fuck are you!?"

Naruto laughed as he pointed at Sasuke. "I knew it! You kidnapped her!" he laughed before a fist met his face.

"She wasn't talking about me, dobe. She knows who the pervert is." Sasuke said as he sat beside his woman to embrace her from behind. "Good morning." He said.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun." She greeted back. Her voice was softer in contrast to the screech she gave awhile ago. She smiled and relaxed to her beloved's embrace. Her checks were dusted with a pleasing pink color as she felt him embrace get tighter before letting go.

"Your girlfriend has quite the punch, teme." Naruto said as sat up and rubbed his face.

"Betrothed."

"Betro- WHAT?! YOU'RE ENGAGED?!"

"Sakura, meet Naruto. The most idiotic person you'll ever know."

The girl, Sakura, smiled and placed her hand on the kitsune's swollen cheek. "I am so sorry for this. Although, its partly your fault. You surprised me!" She said as a soft green glow emerged from her fingertips and caused a wave of cool comfort to weave into the swollen muscles of Naruto's cheeks. A bruise begins to form, blooming into a blue-black flower before quickly fading to yellow and then returning to the young man's tanned skin tone. Sakura smiled before poking the now healed cheek, making Naruto's sapphire eyes to widen in surprise.

"You're the Tenkei!" He exclaimed. "Teme, you found the Tengoku no Tenkei!"

"Is that what you guys call me?" Sakura asked. "Sasuke-kun just calls me annoying." She passed with a teasing tone.

Sasuke doesn't answer and just smirks. His eyes has a certain sparkle that shows arrogance and egoistic satisfaction as Naruto gaped at his success. Unlike most yokai who seek the Tenkei for selfish reason, he genuinely loves the woman with the pink hair. Her vibrancy, spirit and willfulness was something he found attractive about her and he wanted to be the one to protect her. Tenkei or not, he wants this woman to be his wife.

* * *

She looked paler than a sheet of paper. Her originally puckered pink lips were chapped and white. Her bouncy pink hair lay limp and dull on the pillows sprawled around her. Her rosy cheeks were sunken and pale. Sakura was sick beyond recovery and that Sasuke understood as she smiled at him feebly. Sickly sweet was the scent from the incense sticks and regret burned within the young Tengu's core. He wanted to shout, scream, wail, cry -anything! He was mad at the world for being cruel, he was mad at the people who allowed her to leave the safety of Naka Castle, he was mad at Naruto for letting her go past her limit, but most of all, he was mad at himself for not being able to protect her, for not being enough to save her. He knew that she would try to save as many as she could. He knew that her gentle heart would never let a wounded comrade go unattended. He knew that her noble spirit and her loving nature would never allow her to stay in the sidelines as he fought the allies of the White Snake.

And now, here she was. Sick and dying.

If only they consummated their union before marriage. Then he would have been blessed with the powers to channel her abilities to heal. If only killed off they bastard Orochimaru earlier, then the invasion would not have happened. If only... If only.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He lifts his head, eyes red and swollen with tears. He takes her to his arms in a tight embrace. She was clammy and cold, unlike her usual calming warmth. The bandages on her hands and feet were no longer bleeding but she doesn't look any better. She still managed to smile at Sasuke, with all the love and care reflecting in her once vibrant emerald eyes. The tengu cradles her gently as she coughs. He held her like she were the most fragile treasure in the whole universe. Sakura cupped his face and ran her fingers across his eyes, nose and lips before gently cupping his cheeks.

"I'll return to you, Sasuke-kun I promise.. I love you."

With those words, her hands grew limp as it fell lifeless to the fragrant sandalwood floors. Her eyes closed and she looked peaceful, almost like she were sleeping. Her chest didn't rise and fall as it should. Sakura was dead.

"Sakura?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. "Sakura, wake up." He continued as he tapped her lifeless cheeks. "S-stop being annoying and wake up!" He called unto her desperately. He embraces her tightly, her head at his chest. He rocks back and forth, hoping the movement will somehow bring her back to life.

"Wake up. Please. I'm begging you. Wake up."

* * *

 **Okay, its a wrap! I hope you guys like it!**

 **Let me know what you guys feel about this. After all, this is just the prologue. Many more things will come**

 **Favorite, follow and review!**


	2. Chapter 1: Blood and Guts

**Hello everyone!**

 **So, this is Bleed, chapter 1. I am so happy about the reception of my story and I hope you guys will read until the end.**

 **Disclaimer: Naruto doesnt belong to me. The obvious references I used in the story were inspired by Descendants of the Sun and Once Upon a Time. I own neither.**

 **Please don't forget to favorite and review!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1: Blood and Guts**

A bright flash of the camera temporarily blinded a police officer as they took photographs of the crime scene that unfolded in-front of them. A young woman with brightly colored haired lay beside trash bins like a discarded rag doll. She was beautiful, with a darling face and blemish-free skin. The only thing that marked her skin was the stream of red liquid that flowed from her mouth and a thin red line on her neck, her blood staining her pristine light blue tank top. It was a scouring beggar who found her lonely body in that dark and musty alleyway. He was looking around the bins for anything salvageable when he saw the young woman's lavender hair. He thought she was one of those passed-out drunk youths he had encountered but when he saw her covered in blood, he did what any sane scared man would, run. It wasn't until he bumped into the silver-haired chief of police, Hatake Kakashi, did he stop.

Kakashi is an interesting fellow. He insists on wearing a face mask all the time, even when inside the office. He wears an eyepatch that covers his right eye while his left is seen in an eternally lazy look that give him a nonchalant demeanor. He has a carefree, uninterested, and lazy character with a nose forever stuck in a little orange book titled: Icha Icha Tactics. However, despite this outside appearance, he seemed to be well-respected within the ranks of the Konoha Police Force. In fact, he had just come from a welcome back party dedicated to him when he and the unfortunate beggar met.

The beggar, a man in his late 30's, was surprisingly cooperative in exchange for a warm bowl of ramen. He led the police officer to the scene of the crime pleading his innocence and expressing his fear. He explained that he was just a simple man looking for a means to live when he saw the girl's body. The policeman kept on nodding as he listened to the beggar's words and when he saw the body, his visible eye widened and immediately made several urgent phone calls. His nonchalant image was replaced with a man who has held authority and position for a very long time. He barked several orders into his phone and in no time, multiple crime scene operatives have arrived on that small alleyway taking evidence and pictures.

"Chief, we've thoroughly searched the crime scene but we have no murder weapon. In fact, lavender-hair is the 3rd victim. The first is greenie, and second is skyblue." a middle aged police officer carrying a ziplock of lavender-hair's belongings said.

"What's with the weird names?" Kakashi asked.

"Oh, nothing really. It's because all the victims have unusual hair coloring. We got the first two while you were in Iwa. By the way, welcome back."

"Thanks. Anyways, have Kirishima prep the paper works for the autopsy. I'll be the one to visit the doctor on this. Remind Kirishima that she hates bullshit on the paperwork."

Ziplock policeman nodded and left to talk to one of his colleagues on standby who looked over to Kakashi and nodded with a look of relief on his face. It seems nobody wants to meet the doctor the Police Chief was pertaining to. Kakashi had never met so he was genuinely curious as to why everyone in the force is intimidated by the doctor. He knew that the doctor has a reputation to be someone with the most terrifying of tempers and a fist that is rumored to have broken skulls in a single blow; but she is one of the greatest minds the medical world has to offer. He has one of his oldest colleagues to vouch for that reputation. That colleague, the world-renowned Senju Tsunade, has known the doctor since she was small and had taken the girl under her wing. Kakashi wonders if medicine was the only thing the Senju Princess taught the girl. Swearing herself to maidenhood after her lover's death, Tsunade has refused to take a successor but when word got around about her taking an apprentice, many raised their eyebrows. After all, Tsunade has knowledge that many would say, deviates from the medicine people are accustomed to. The Senju line has, after all, produced generations of omnyouji that the Konoha Hyakki Yakō trusts.

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei has sent word from the Police Force. 3 deaths have been reported here in Konoha with deaths similar to the ones found in Iwa, Suna and Kiri. All three are the same: bloody mouth and a slit throat. We're still waiting for the autopsy report from Tsunade baa-chan."

Naruto sipped from his sake cup as he looked at the files given by the police chief. Manila folders and sheets of paper scattered all around his office and empty ramen cups littered the floor. The Inari Jinja, his home, stood in the middle of massive courtyard with a path lined with vermilion torii gates, pine trees and plum blossoms. Fragrant cedar made the shrine smell subtly sweet as fresh incense swirled with the wood's natural odors. The summer night's breeze wafted through the wooden doors and windows, making the shrine's glass wind chimes ring. The resting vessel of the sacred 9-tailed fox reclined as he read the file over and over and lazily waved his hand to use one of his tornado will o' wisps to open the shoji door of his office, exposing him to the silver light of the moon. A voice in the shadows answered the kitsune's musings over the police report.

"It looks like an ikigumo attack to me." it said, the voice deep, authoritative and inquisitive.

"But my father has motioned the end of the ikigumo hunts and teme's nii-chan turned it into a law. It's been banned since the 1860's when the Reformatory Wars ended." the young man replied, turning his head to the direction of the voice.

"Well, the Inugami Hanyou already gave you pictures and I know those are ikigumo. Don't argue with me, brat. I've lived several millennia more than anyone you know alive."

"If that's the case, we have a traveling rogue in our hands. Should we report this to the Council or do we tell Sasuke-teme first?"

Unfortunately, the voice didn't answer anymore. Naruto figured as much. Kurama was moodier than the average human teenager but he has a good heart despite the rough outer character. Naruto's eyes go back to the pictures of the young women whose lives were taken in a very brutal manner. Ikigumo was an ancient practice where a yokai can harness the spiritual energy, or chakra, of a human by ingesting their internal organs while the human is still alive. It was a brutal and disgusting practice and his father did everything in his power to expose the truths behind the ancient practice. Naruto was aware that the world was made of good and bad people and yokai were not an exception. Traditions, morals and conscience were the biggest factors of the Reformation and ever since the turn of the new millennia, more and more yokai have appreciated the results of the Reformation but there are some who strongly disagree.

Naruto grabs a handful of persimmon nuts and started munching while he recalls the few meeting where the Council elders would join. The yokai elders have often reasoned that the yokai world is the very essence of tradition and that yokai are separate from the changing of the times. He had always thought of the elders as a bunch of stuck up yokai living in the past, but given that they were once revered as equal to the Gods, it's no surprise that they think that way. However, things have changed. He respects the traditions that the elders are trying to enforce but times have changes and the yokai world needed to adjust along with the rest of the world. Technology and science have replaced superstitions and beliefs and the existence of the yokai have been reduced to myths and legends rather than reality. The kitsune thinks it's a change that is better because it protects the humans from yokai and the yokai from the humans. Science will want to poke and prod on the existence of the yokai, politics will complicate the lifestyle of the many small yokai who doesn't have definite social standing and chaos and fear between the humans and the yokai will ensue. For safety and security, he believes that the existence should be kept at minimun knowledge and most of the Council agrees with him.

Deciding that he needs to contact his best friend first before presenting to the Council of Clans, Naruto stands up and begins to scavenge around his messy office, looking for a trace his phone.

* * *

There was absolute chaos at the Konoha Central Hospital emergency room. A large group of fully grown men rushed into the hospital, their flashy suits and slick hair looking disheveled and messed up. They were covered with small bleeding gashes and poorly dressed wounds, one of them even has a shoulder that looked badly dislocated. However, the one that looked the worst was the man in the middle of their crowd, dressed in a golden leopard print suit and a heavily bleeding stab wound in the abdomen. His blood dripped freely into the white tile floors as the men who carried him desperately tried to hang to his weakening shoulders. He could barely keep eyes open when he was seated down into one of the chairs of the emergency room, a paramedic tending to him with first aid. One of his colleagues, a shrimpy-looking man with a whisker-like mustache ran to the nurse's station and slammed his bony hands into the marble table.

"Our boss needs them medical attention, nya, an' we need them best doctors, nya! Like, righ' now, nya!"he said, his eyes wild with adrenaline.

The nurse, battled hardened from experience, tried to calm him down with assurances that their best doctor is already on the way. Shrimpy can only shout at them, demanding that they call the doctor again while his wild panicked eyes moved back and forth from his wounded boss and the nurse. His boss was barely hanging on to dear life as the paramedic applied pressure to his wound. One of the attending nurses had begun to hook him up to IV tubes with a saline solution to help stabilize the lowering blood pressure of the patient while another was taking blood samples to prepare for a transfusion. Shrimpy was looked back into the nurse at the station as she talked rapidly into a phone. Suddenly she sighed with relief as the sound of high heels raced into the emergency room.

"Good work, Natsume-chan. Status report?"

A woman with long flowing pink hair and a small frame walked up to the front desk. She carried an air of urgency as she rapidly spoke to the nurse while glancing at Shrimpy's weakening boss. One of the nurses who were attending to his boss ran up to her and began to provide details at such a fast rate, he couldn't follow through with the words.

"Blood loss is almost at class 3 and patient is at risk of hypovolemic shock. O blood is on the way and we have sent his blood for typing and tetanus testing. Wound is right above the liver. We are not sure if organ was hit."

"I see." she said, nodding and urgently tied her pink hair into a high messy bun and glanced at Shrimpy. "Sir, your friend needs to go to surgery immediately. I'll be conducting the surgery ASAP"

She has the most stunning pair of emerald green eyes that shone with an air of authority but Shrimpy wasn't impressed. She was not the doctor he wanted for his precious boss.

"No." he said. He turned to the nurse on the desk and pointed at the pink haired doctor. "I don' wan' a nurse operatin on my boss, nya! Send for a real doctor, nya!"

"Sir, I am a doctor." the woman said as she straightened her doctor's lab coat. Shrimpy looked at her from her shoes to her pink head then to her hands before scoffing her off and began shouting at the nurse.

"A male doctor, then, nya! I don' trust them female pretenders on my boss, nya! It's impossible for this fucker to put a band-aid on a simple scratch!"

Clearly insulted, the pink haired doctor gave a deep exasperated sigh and walked up to Shrimpy. He towered over her but she stared him down as her sharp green eyes looked at him with disgust.

"Don't tell me what I can't and cannot do, you son of a bitch. If you want to save your boss, you will do as I say and let me take over his surgery!"

Shrimpy took step back, furiously glaring at the pink haired woman, then twisted; his fist ready to land with left hook. The doctor watched as his fist neared her pretty face before suddenly using blocking it and grabbing her attacker's shirt with both of her hands and throwing him to the ground. Shrimpy's colleagues saw this ans two of them bolted to her, one already holding an army knife. One of them tried to grab a hold of the doctor by locking his arms around her slim waist while he looked to his friend looking to injure her with the knife. Knowing their intentions, the doctor used her high heels as weapon and kicked the incoming knife attack. The impact of the kicked caused her and the man holding her to move backwards and topple over. Using this movement to her advantage, she pulled back the man's thumb, creating an opening and then elbowed his now exposed abdomen with so much force, he created a noise that resembled a cat being kicked. Before any of the men managed to move to her, she removed her heels and held them like weapons.

"You saw what I can do with my bare hands." she said, cocking her head to their writhing colleagues. "Do you really want to see what I can do with a weapon?"

The men looked at each other and back to the barefoot doctor, clearly hesitating to attack. They looked to their boss who was now fighting to keep his eyes open. One of them, the young man with ginger hair holding up their boss, called out to the pink haired woman.

"Please save my dad." he said, his eyes pleading. The doctor nodded and began barking orders to the staff. A medical team suddenly appeared and prepared the injured man for the operating room. The flashy dressed men can only watch as a woman took control of the whole emergency room like she was some sort of army general that must be obeyed.

"If you need anything else," the doctor said, turning to the young man with the ginger hair, " its easy to find me. My name is Haruno Sakura and I'll save your dad."

* * *

 **Ok, I suck at action scenes. Let me know what I can do to improve :)**

 **Your feedback is greatly appreciated! Please review!**

 **Love,**

 **CSIsui**


	3. Chapter 2: Into the Invisible

**Hey guys, its me, CSIsui.**

 **So, I updated. That's good, right? I am really sorry to everyone who wanted me to update but its been for me. (shoutout to those who know me in Tumblr. You know what happened.) Anyways, here is a new update for Bleed.**

 **I have the whole story laid out and all... I just have a life, that's why I can't type it down. Sorry.**

 **To those who patiently waited, THANK YOU SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU, PLEASE KEEP READING, I DON'T DESERVE YOUR PATIENCE!**

 **Anyways, please post a review, favorite, follow... basically let me know what you feel.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3: Into the Invisible**

*THUACK!*

Shou, a tengu retainer, stood outside Naka Castle's dojo holding tray with a tablet, some fresh towels, and a flask of water. Sounds of the shinai rang as the Uchiha brothers sparred, practicing their kendo. The young retainer, not more than a hundred years old, stood shaking, hesitant to disturb the seemingly rigorous training of his masters. The caller ID on the tablet disappeared, and Shou hoped it won't appear again.

*THUACK! THUACK!*

The young retainer's hopes were shattered when the crest of the Nekomata clan appeared once again. Inhaling a good amount of air, he announced himself behind the bamboo shoji.

"My Lords, it is I, Shou. You have a phone call from the Nekomata clan!"

Sounds from the Kendo-shinai stopped and brisk footsteps were heard before the shoji opened, revealing Uchiha Sasuke in his dark blue training gi. He grabbed one of the snow white towels from Shou's tray and wiped the sweat from his brow while ruffling his majestic obsidian-feathered wings before tucking them away. He looked over to Itachi before grabbing the tablet and the attached headpiece along with the whole flask of water. He took a full swig from the flask before answering the call.

"SASUKE-SAMA WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

The deep guttural voice of the Nekomata Boss screeched from the other end of the line. His visage hidden behind a screen but the gigantic outline of his yokai form can easily be seen.

"Calm yourself, Nekomata and tell me what happened." Sasuke said as he walked out of the dojo and out into the nearby balcony. The light of dawn was barely distinguishable from the peaks of Mt. Naka. The fog covered the mountain's trees and the visage of Naka Castle is almost hidden from view. The sound of the mountain's waterfall harmonized with the last of the cricket's choirs, just waiting for the morning to arrive.

Sasuke looked over to the image on his tablet screen and adjusted the volume of his bluetooth head piece and exhaled. He hoped Nekomata's subordinate bakeneko did not fail.

"I just received a report from one of my men, Ebi, that Shoga has been gravely injured in one of the assignments YOU gave! What is the meaning of this?!"

Sasuke took a deep breath before pinching the bridge of his nose. The Nekomata-Bakeneko clan had been great allies of the Uchiha since the Council has been created. They were known for being fiercely loyal to the Uchiha ideals and in turn, the Uchiha favored the cats more than their other subordinates. When they needed anything done, the Tengu clan would turn to the cats to gather information and sometimes, even do their dirty work. This was the case when Sasuke needed to have an investigation done regarding the suspicious whispers circling around the Konoha yokai underground about a rogue outsider causing trouble in the streets. It seems like this mysterious rogue has had a run-in with the cats.

"Nekomata, Shoga and his men have been oriented that they're pursuing a suggestively violent yokai. Have you already tried to get a hold of them or did you call me immediately?" The young tengu stretched his tensed shoulders and neck before taking another swig from the flask of water. He's going to have to meditate underneath giant waterfalls nearby and recite the Buddhist mantra for control if Nekomata doesn't choose next his words carefully.

"I did. Negi is currently handling his father's team. Shoga on the other hand is in surgery."

Sasuke tensed. "Which hospital?" he said sharply. The anatomy of a yokai is a very complicated thing. Although they have the capacity to shape-shift, there is a risk when they undergo surgery and only one hospital caters to the yokai of Konoha and only a handful doctors were allowed to handle yokai patients. Sasuke knows that most of the underlings within the yokai community prefer to approach traditional healers and apothecaries run by other yokais but sometimes, modern medicine have proven itself important to the growing population of yokai. Fortunately, ancient human connections don't break easily. Unfortunately, on the other hand, not all yokai are aware of this and Bakeneko Shoga's men aren't the brains of the cats.

"Konoha Medical, why? Negi is well aware that Konoha Medical is the only hospital we can approach."

"Did you confirm who did the surgery?"

There was no answer in the other line and almost immediately, Sasuke unfurled his wings and flew as fast as he could to Konoha Medical.

* * *

A steaming cup of black coffee was placed on a messy desk right beside an empty sake bottle. An obviously drunk blonde female laid her head on top of the stacks of half-done paperworks, mumbling incoherent words. She stirs as the scent of coffee reached her nostrils.

"Shouldn't Shizune be the one babysitting me?" she said, lifting her head and straightening her back. She picks up her coffee and began sipping its contents. "Extra strength. I taught you well." she joked before downing the whole cup down her throat.

"You shouldn't drink it that fast. You can burn yourself."

Senju Tsunade chuckled as she settled the steaming, but now empty, cup back to its saucer. "Sakura, sweetie, I've drank enough liquor to know what a burnt throat feels like." She smirked, before placing a pair of aviator sunglasses over her honey-gold eyes and snatching the nearest file she could grab.

"Just how hungover are you that you need a pair of sunglasses in a dim room?" Sakura asked, plopping herself down the nearest couch. The pink-haired doctor looked like a mess and looked like she was about to pass out. Large, dark circles framed her jade eyes, her pink locks looked like a rat's nest, and her skin was almost translucent. Her white lab coat lay beside her on the couch as she tried to sit comfortably by removing her heels and curling up amongst the leather throw pillows. "Want me to open the curtains for you, shishou? The sun is about to rise and you look like you need some vitamin D." she teased.

"The only 'D' I need is currently in the afterlife, thank you very much." Tsunade responded back, readjusting the aviator glasses as she tried to read the paper currently on her hands. Giving up, she sighed, crossed her arms across her chest, and reclined on her swivel chair. "So, what does my future Head Physician want?"

"I had a patient last night." Sakura began, choosing her words carefully.

"Not another one from Kakashi, I hope? I understand that your skills are helpful to the forensics department of Konoha Police but no matter how much they ask questions, the autopsy result is the autopsy result." Tsunade inquiried.

"No, this isn't from Kakashi-taichou. Besides, I told them, any more bullshit on the reports and I won't help them anymore. Anyways, this one underwent a pneumothorax surgery but due to some… complications, it took me 8 hours to fix."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Open surgeries were never a problem with her star apprentice. Even her assistance Shizune, another excellent doctor , cannot compare to the pink-haired prodigy. The girl simply had a knack for healing. It was like she was born to be a doctor - from her wit, her skill, her intelligence, and her natural inclination to make anybody feel better, Sakura was the apprentice Tsunade had been looking for since Shizune. Her talent is so widely recognized, even the forensics team for criminal investigations have sought her help. This is why it gave her a shock to know that her prodigy experienced a complication during a surgery.

"Open lung surgeries only take 2-6 hours, Sakura." Tsunade pressed, her attention now alerted. Something inside her gut tells her something was not right.

"Sure," Sakura answered. "But not if you're operating alone and you're operating on a cat-human hybrid."

Honey-gold eyes grew wide. Suddenly, a slug appears from a poof of smoke, nods and disappears again. Sakura was mortified with what she just saw, half-blaming her lack of sleep for possible hallucinations. She rubs her eyes, hoping to wake up from the dream but no amount of rubbing can wake her from reality.

"Who else saw the cat-human hybrid?" Tsunade asked, sounding like a most urgent general and not some drunk.

"I can't say for sure," Sakura said. "I had requested blood works and biopsies done on the patient after I noticed that he had abnormal seizures. I requested a test for tetanus but the blood chem was inconclusive, the biopsy isn't finished yet. Rin-chan would send up the reports. Half-way through the operation, I noticed an unusual growth in his hipbone that was slowly developing into a tail. My team didn't notice it before because the change was almost subtle. I asked them to leave."

"And you continued the operation? Despite the change in anatomy?" Tsunade egged her on, this time in a tone closer to amusement than caution.

"Well I had to! A life was on the line!"

"And where is the patient now?"

"In the quarantine unit that's always empty - Shishou, why are you focused on how I reacted when we have A CAT-HUMAN HYBRID INSIDE THE HOSPITAL?!"

No answer came from Tsunade, until a small whimper escaped her lips and it grew to a full on bellowing laughter.

 _She's out of her fucking mind._

Sakura sighed. Her shishou, as it seems, is too drunk to comprehend that a half-cat, half-man creature now lay recovering on a hospital bed just a few floors below. The pink haired doctor scratched her head in exasperation before walking over to her madly laughing teacher.

"Shishou this is serious! We need to make sure he's not gonna go public and that the medical board won't -"

"Oh stop worrying, will you, Sakura? We get patients like Shoga all the time. I'm just amused you were able to figure out yokai protocol without knowing it exists!" Tsunade cried as she calmed herself down, wheezing from laughter.

"Okay, what? First of all, you know who that catman is? And what? Yokai? Shishou, yokais are mythological creatures created by the human need to explain nature in a time when science was still under development and -"

"Or they actually exist and we've been co-existing the whole time." A small feminine voice said from Tsunade's shoulder. On it perched the same slug the popped up when Sakura informed Tsunade of the catman yokai.

"Ah. I trust you've checked Shoga's condition, Katsuyu-sama?" Tsunade asked, addressing the slug.

"He's in perfect condition for recovery!" the slug turned to Sakura whose dumbfounded face looked frozen in shock. "Tsunade-sama has told me of your talent, Sakura-sama. Indeed such high praises are well deserved!"

"You... You're a slug. And... And you can talk..." Sakura uttered, trying not to point at Katsuyu. The scientific in Sakura wanted to slap herself and see if what she is witnessing the effects of caffeine withdrawal or the lack of sleep; but another side of her - an inner self, perhaps - keeps telling her that this is real and it's only about to get better. She inches closer to her shishou's desk, her eyes glued to the creature called Katsuyu.

 _Everything will be alright, Sakura. This is all gonna make sense soon enough._

"Well of course I can talk. I am a familiar. Tsunade-sama's familiar, to be exact!" it replied. "You have a very lovely voice." Sakura said, trying to make friends with the slug whose cheeks turned a darker shade of blue from compliment. Tsunade chuckled at how her apprentice is taking everything in. Pleased with Sakura's behavior, she contemplated if it would be wise to take in Sakura as an apprentice for another form of art.

* * *

Kakashi walked the halls of Konoha Medical hoping to find the corridors the lead to the morgue. He was sure he followed the landmarks his colleague had told him and he was sure he made the correct rights and lefts. However, it seems like he can't be in the place he needs to be. He sneezes.

"What would the famous Inugami Hanyou be doing at the hospital?"

Kakashi turned and saw a beautiful brown haired girl with lovely chocolate brown eyes. Her amiable smile matched the nurse's uniform she wore, giving her a most peaceful aura. She held a nurse's clipboard in one hand and a pipe-like instrument. Her teasing voice made Kakashi smile and the police chief walked over to the girl.

"I had been wondering why the hospital has been smelling of lotuses. What's a Ningyo doing on dry land?" he said, taking the pipe from the ningyo's hand and emptying its contents and stopping it from smoking. His surroundings rippled and he saw that he was now inside the morgue - exactly by the entrance. "Is this pipe the reason why Obito is always lost and late?"

The brown-haired girl giggled. "Oh no. Not at all! That darling tengu just really happens to get confused with directions. You, on the other hand, like to fake it so you can read those horrid novels you get from the toad." She takes the pipe from Kakashi's and places it in her pocket. "I just wanted you to know what it feels like to get genuinely lost."

"Well, congratulations Rin. You got me lost indeed. Now, where is Haruno Sakura?"

Nohara Rin clicked her tongue and sighed. She is one of the yokais who help around the hospital. Normally stationed in the med labs, Rin is a mermaid yokai who volunteered to help the yokai community by accepting a job at the hospital. She, among many others, help Tsunade in maintaining the Statutes of Secrecy while providing modern health care to yokai. She is quite acquainted with Sakura and she's often the person Sakura requests for lab work assistance.

"Hmmm..." she pondered. "Why are you looking for her?" Her teasing tone was quite an amusement to Kakashi for the mermaid has always shown a fondness to him.

"Simply to send a report and to file a request for another autopsy. Nothing more."

Rin pouted and then smiled. "She's actually up with Tsunade-hime right now. Is this urgent business? I can take you up there."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. Its quite urgent. The body I need autopsied will be here in a few and I need to have it admitted." The urgency in his voice sharpened the look in his visible eye and Rin sensed it. She nodded and motioned for Kakashi to follow. This was the 3rd victim and all autopsies Sakura had gave him was that the insides of the murdered were sucked from the mouth - like a powerful suction from a probe had drained the body of its organs. Kakashi hoped that these results were caused by some sort of a mistake since the method of killing was no doubt by ikugumo. He fears that should this yokai be keeping ikugumo, saving their spiritual energy, it can lead to disastrous events. Events he'd prefer avoided.

The doors to Tsunade's office were large western-styled oak doors. Ornate carvings of yew, rowan, and holly leaves decorated the doors and the handles were made of iron. A threadbare paper ornament hung stuck over the door frame, looking like it was attached haphazardly and half-heartedly. Kakashi sighed at the sight.

"How can anyone enter if she does this to her doors?" he asked Rin who was taking out an ornamental piece of paper from her pocket and slapped it on the door. "She just likes being cautious." she answered. "Ever since… you know…"

Kakashi solemnly nodded. He knew of what happened to Tsunade's beau. It was a tragic event and after learning of her lover's demise, she let herself and her talents go until a certain toad and a fox helped her get up her feet and claim the helm of her family - the Senju - a powerful human ally of the yokai and the Konoha Hyakki Yakō's Council of Clans. The Senju's influence forged the alliance and formation of the Konoha Hyakki Yakō through the Daitengu Uchiha Madara and the Senju forefather Senju Hashirama. The clan and its members are feared by the yokai and with Tsunade as the clan's only surviving member, she is simply known as 'The Princess.'

A small breeze wisped through the windowless corridor and the threadbare paper ornament seemed to have detached itself from the door frame. Satisfied, Rin pushed the door open and entered the room. "Hurry. Once this door closes, that paper charm will reattach itself." she said and Kakashi followed suit and the conversing voices of Tsunade and Sakura were heard.

* * *

"So, what are you exactly…?" Sakura asked, as she petted Katsuyu's form. The slug looked to Tsunade for permission and the doctor nodded. A kettle of tea was being brewed inside the office, under Tsunade's suggestion. Smells of different aromatic herbs filled the air, making Sakura feel relaxed and energized.

"I am a familiar but I am a shikigami too. My real body is much too big to be summoned to the city so Tsunade-sama prefers to use little versions of me as her shiki."

Sakura scrunched her eyebrows. "Shikigami…? Isn't that like those death gods? Like grim reaper?" She continued petting the slug until Tsunade handed a cup of sweet-smelling herbal tea. Thanking her shishou, the pink haired doctor took a few sips of the tea. Suddenly, she felt an immediate rush of energy fill her. Color went back to her sullen complexion and the glow of her eyes returned. It was like she had a full night's rest. "What is in this stuff?!" she exclaimed.

Tsunade laughed as she took sips from her own cup. "It's a mixture of goji berries, ginseng, ginger, and black tea sweetened with honey. With a little something special to make it extra. This is my hangover drink for emergencies." She explained. "I usually prefer coffee but I reckon, you'll need this."

"Me?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. "I'm tired, not drunk. If there is anyone who needs a hangover cure, its you, shishou. Then again, I am in the middle of some supernatural manga-like scenario so, mind hooking me up with a gallon of this stuff while you explain what exactly is happening?"

Shaking her head, Tsunade chuckled. "Katsuyu-sama is not a death god. Those things are called 'Shinigami' and they are different than shikigami - or conjured spirits that can aid an omyouji. They can take many forms and can help in many ways, depending on the spiritual energy of their partner omyouji."

Sakura blinked several times having put the puzzle pieces together. The oak doors with the strange leaf carvings, those atrocious paper ornaments that Tsunade refuse to remove, the necklace she wears, and many other traits and habits… they all mushed up together making Sakura realized that her teacher was not just a CEO or a brilliant pioneering doctor but was also a member of a world invisible. She stares at the cup in her hands and hesitates of she should drink more.

"Don't worry, Sakura-sama. Tsunade-hime is very much mortal, but due to their strong spiritual energy and natural capabilities to onmyōdō, the Senju have a most wonderful longevity." Katsuyu said, reassuring her new friend. "You, yourself have quite a most unique spiritual aura, I can only describe it as seeing sakura petals floating on a pond. Very lovely but very intriguing. It's like you have a potential being hidden in plain sight." The slug slides towards the girl and climbs to her finger. "Are you planning to teach her, hime?"

Sakura gave a quizzical brow. " I am already an apprentice to Tsunade-shishou, Katsuyu-sama." She said, petting the slug once more. She wondered how much more will she discover given that she had just been introduced into the invisible world that's been co-inhabiting the visible world she's used to.

 _It will all makes sense soon._

A voice, whom Sakura fondly calls 'Inner self' always makes whispers that she never did comprehend when she was little. It would show her images she would often dismiss as dreams and hallucinations from her habitual lack of sleep. It would make her think of scenarios that don't make sense. Imaginary battles of yokai, escapades of love with a faceless strangers... it all makes no sense but the product of the wild imagination of a girl. However, upon seeing and experiencing all of this, Sakura was not sure anymore.

"I intend to, actually." Tsunade answered. Sakura was about to answer when they hear the doors open and two figures enter the office.

* * *

The dawn's gossamer mist created a beautiful silhouette over the high rise of Konoha. Its citizens, asleep and waiting for the day to start do not notice the winged figure maneuvering elegantly over the skyscrapers. Its wings were akin to the majesty of a powerful bird-of-prey as it glided through the morning's black and blue skies. The figure speeds up, raising to the air before making a steep drop.

Sasuke, taking advantage of the remaining darkness of the dawn, landed on top of Konoha Medical. He tucked his dark wings and used glamour to blend in the human world. As he walked to the roof top's elevator, his silhouette shimmered and his clothes changed from his training gi to a pair of black pants and a gray button down shirt. The door opens and with practiced fingers, he chose his floor and waited for the door to open once again. He walks out into a corridor filled with busy nurses tending to patients and their companions.

"Is Senju Tsunade in the building right now?" he asked an unsuspecting intern lazily reading a romance novel. Despite the busy atmosphere of the floor, this particular intern seemed undisturbed.

"She's not seeing anyone." the intern replied, too lazy to even look up. The tengu noble was not having it. He was on urgent business and a useless intern will not stand in his way. He changed the tone of his voice.

"I shall ask you again," he said, sounding calm and collected but the tone of his voice would make one wonder what sort of horrors might someone experience should they mistake it as mild-mannered. "Where is Senju Tsunade."

The unfortunate intern looked up and her eyes saw a man whose face was rival to Adonis. She would have thought that her prince had come to sweep her of her feet, much like the novels she loved to read, if it weren't for the severe look on the stranger's face. She struggled to find the right words to say.

"She… she's in her… office." she muttered.

"Hn."

Giving the intern no more attention than an acknowledgement to her answer, Sasuke walked with a calm elegance and poise but his eyes were filled with a grave expression, prepared to do what was necessary to whomever it was who endangered the secrecy and safety of the yokai.

* * *

 **That's a wrap! Thank you so much for reading guys!**

 **Please do not forget to review and favorite. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Love lots,**

 **C**


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